Trolley-pole.



PATENTBD JAN. 30,1906.

I. E. LAGERGR'EN TROL LEY POLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1905.

is normally locked iII'I'OltLt-lOII to PAT FFllQE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed M y 25, 1905. Serial No. 262,179.

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN E. LAGERGREN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'lrolley-Poles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying di'awings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to trolley-poles, and more particularly to a class of such embed ing safety appliances to avoid injury to the trolley, to cross-wires, or to the pole itself through the escape of the wheel from the trolley.

The main object of the invention is to provide a trolley- )ole which while being perfectly free to follow the trolley irrespective of variations in its height or of its sag ing between supports-will instantly become fixed. or locked when the pressure of the trolley is entirely removed from the wheel, thus avoiding damage to the trolley, to cross-wires, or to the pole itself by reason of the pole flying off the trolley.

A further object is to provide a trolley-pole wherein when once locked as above the locking mechanism cannot be released by a further pressure on the pole.

A still further object is to provide a trolleypole which when locked as above will be an.-

-tomatically released by the lowering of the pole through the rope carried by the head to permit the replacement of the wheel on the trolley. p

A still further objectis to provide a simple locking or clutch mechanism which may be actuated substantially instantly irrespective of the position of the )ole, thus avoiding such material movement of the pole-head as would tend to. bring it into the plane of cross-wires or of cross-trolleys.

A still further object is to rovide a locking or clutch mechanism whic i will not be exposed tothe elements to an extent to render it inoperative; and a still further object is to provide a locking orclutch mechanism which may be applied to the type of trolley- 'iole now commonly used without material alteration or expense.

The invention consists, primarily, in the combination, in a trolley pole, of a base, a trolley-pole mounted thereon, an automatic lock or clutch mechanism whereby said pole said base,

if, such being a common. (but not ment of the said. head,

a movable trolley-head and means actuated by said trolley-head whereby pressure on said head will release said lock or clutch, and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and. more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto append ed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a trolleypole embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view, on a larger scale, of the lower end of the trolley-pole shown in. Fig. l, with one side of the base re moved. and. the pole shown in section to dis close the locking or clutch mechanism and the means ad jacent thereto for releasing same. Fig. 3 is a view of the trolley-head with the pole adjacent thereto in section to disclose the construction whereby the locking or clutch mechanism is rcleasedtl1rough pressure on the said head. Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the trolley-base, the socketditting mounted therein, and. the locking orclutch mechanism; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the locking or clutch meclninism, one side thereof being broken away to disclose the actuating mechanism of the band.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views. 7

In the drawings, a, refersto the base for the trollcypole, being provided with side webs b and carrying the oppositely-acting springs c c, acting upon the offset arm 0 of the socket fitting to the trolley-pole. This baseis shown as being adapted to swivel on tl1(3'l')21S6Plltt(3 exclusive) manner of mounting the pole to permit it to be reversed. Fitted in the socketditting e is an ordinary tubular polef. This gencralcom struct ion is,as now ordinarily in use, my invention relating more particularly in the a plication thereto of a locking or clutch mechanism, whereby said pole is not permitted to rise under the influence of the spring 0 in case the trolley wheel escapes from the trolley. This mechanism comprises, cred, a lock or clutch acting adjacent to the bearings for the socket-fitting or the bottom of the pole, a movable trolley-head carrying the wheel, and means whereby the movespring 0 forcing the wheel or other contact into engagen'ient with the trolley or through the trolley-rope, will release said lock or clutch, so as to permit the unrestricted oscillation of the pole necessary to have it follow broadly c0nsid-.

either through the the trolley or be replaced thereon. The preferred form of this mechanism is that shown in the. accompanying drawings, wherein the socket-fitting e is provided with a forked end, by means of which the said fitting is pivotally mounted between the side webs b by means of the axle b, fixed with relation to said webs b. Keyed to said axle Him the forked end of the fitting e is a drum g. Encircling this drum 9 is a band it", the cars it 7L2 of. which are preferably forked, the latter being extended, so as to be substantially alined with the former, while allowing sufficient play or clearance to close the band to set the brake or clutch, said ears both being fitted within the forked end of said socket-fitting. Mounted between these forked ears h h is a plate 'i,

pivotally connected to the said ears, respecbeing rectangular,

tively, in a manner to insure movement thereof about either of said pivots, drawing said ears together to close said band or spreading them to release the same from its engagement with the said drum. Said plate has an arm 5/ rejecting into and adapted to engage the po e f in a manner to cause the slightest upward movement of said pole-and-socketfitting e to raise said arm and close the band It upon the drum 9. The plate i and ear 71, this movement causes one corner thereof to project slightly below the socket e.

The polef carries adjacent to the socket e bearings for a lever j, one arm of which engages the aforesaid projecting corner of the plate'i and car 72 and the other arm of which is pro'ected at an angle therefrom through a way)" into said pole, bein beveled at j, as shown. Fitted in the he e f is a bearing block f", in which is mounted a rod Ir, one end of which is provided with an enlarged conical head lit, engaging the beveled end j of the lever j, and the other end of which projects from thetop of the pole. Fixed to said rod is a collarfrflbetween which and theblock f is seated a spring 76*, tending to normally project the end of said rod /r from said pole and leave the lever free to be so rocked as to permit the platei to move sufficiently to close the band it upon the drum g, thus tending to normally look or set said lock or clutch.

The trolley-head comprises a bell-crank lever, one arm of which is an ordinary yoke Z, in which the wheel m is mounted in the usual manner. This lever, however, is movable, being pivotally connected to the pole f, with the other arm It engaging the projectml end of the rod lc. This arm is provided with an extension 11., adapted, to have the trolleyrope 0 attached thereto.

The operation of the structure heretofore described is substantially follows: The pole f is adapted to be raised and subjected to constant pressure to hold the wheel in on the trolley by the spring 0, the spring c tending to modify the action of said other spring in the usual and well-known manner. This action turns the socket-fitting e on the axle b, said axle and the drum 9 thereon remaining stationary. This tends to normally press the pole f adj acent to the said fitting e against the arm 2', thus drawing the ears h h together through the movement of the plate 9) and setting the band h upon the drum g, thus locking the said arm, and through it the pole f, in position, projecting the said plate i and the ear it below the socket e and forcingthe beveled end j of the lever 7' through the way f into engagement with the head is? of the rod 70. ,The pole f and its socket e are capable of slight dew-Inward movement independently of the arm so that even when the band his so set the pressure on said arm may be relieved sufficiently by the further depression of the pole to so release said band as to permit still further depression thereof. It will be observed that at all times the tendency of the looking or clutch mechanism is to'overcome the tendency of the spring 0 to raise the pole, thus necessitating the employment of means controlling this mechanism while the trolley-wheel is in proper engagement with the trolley. In practice it is re uired that the pole be capable of rising an being deressed with great freedom to permit the trolley-wheel m to follow the trolley and adapt itself the wire and to the playincidental to a trolley that sags between its supports or supporting cross-wires. T he tendency of the locking or clutch mechanism to prevent this necessary movement is overcome so long as the wheel in is on the trolley, thepressure exerted by the spring a forcing the said wheel and the arm n of the bell-crank lever carrying same downward, depressing the rodjc against the tension of the spring It until the conical head lr" thereof acts on the beveled end j to force out that arm of the lever j, and through the action of the other arm thereof to force in the projecting corners of the plate i and the ear It. This spreads the ears of the band it and permits the unrestricted movement of the pole f in either direction. This forces the end of the arm i into engagement with the pole f, and so long as the pressure is exerted on the rod Ir by the continuance of the wheel m on the trolley this condition will continue. instantly with the escape of the wheel m from the trolley, however, the spring fr releases the beveled end j and ermits the spring c to raise the pole slight carrying with it the arm '11, thus closing the band It upon the drum g and locking the pole against all further upward movement, all parts as suming their normal position. The arm '11, projecting into the polef, affords asuliicient leverage to insure the proper frictional engagement of t hc band It and the drum g. finasmur-h as the band-brake or other similar fi'ii'linn ('llli(ll or loclomay be set accurately,

to the variations in the height of i the degree of movement required to set same is very small, and the quantity of movement of the pole before it operates will not be suffi cient to cause it to project so as to contact with cross-wires squarely, and a glancing blow will sufiice to merely oscillate the head upon its pivot or further depress the pole. Under ordinary circumstances, however, the wheel in leaving the trolley is forced downward sufficiently to permit the lock or clutch to operate before the pole rises to a height sufficient to engage or contact with a crossqv'ire, and in case the movable wheel- I support projects above the level of the said wires it will, as stated, give with the contact, and thus not endanger the wire. When the locking or'clutch mechanism is once set to enable the wheel m to be replaced on the trol-, ley, it is necessary to release said mechanism to permit the pole f to oscillate freely under the tension of the spring 0. This is accomplished by merely using the rope 0 in the usual manner, the arm n of the bell-crank lever carrying the wheel m being actuated b the pull on the said rope to force the rod l; downward and release the band It in the same manner as though through pressure on the wheel m.

It will be observed that no delicate mechanism or balanced springs are required in this structure and that the various elements are so disposed as to be more or less protected. from the elements and not to present unsightly attachments. The apparatus is not liable to material Wear, and the parts are inexpensive to produce and easily applied to the ordinary trolley-pole new in general use.

While I have shown and described my invention in connection with certain specific clutch mechanisms and means actuating same, I do not Wish to be considered as limiting the invention to these minor details, it being apparent that there may be many variations in these details without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is-

I. In a trolley-pole, the combination of a base, a spring-pressed pole mounted thereon,

an automatic friction lock or clutch mechanism whereby said pole is normally locked in relation to said base, a movable trolley-head, and means actuated by said trolley -l1ead whereby pressure on said head will release said lock or clutch.

2. In a iJI'OllOY-PUIG, the combination of a base, a spring-pressed pole mounted thereon, a friction-drum carried by said base, a friction-brake carried by said pole, means where by said. brake is normally set, a movable trelley-head and means actuated by said trolleyhead whereby pressure on said head will release said brake.

3. In a trolley-pole, the combination of a base, a spring-pressed pole mounted thereon, a friction-drum carried byrsaid base, a triotion-band encircling said drum, provided with projectedears, a plate pivoted to said ears respectively, means whereby 'saidplate may be actuated by said pole to close said band, a movable. trolley-head, and means actuated by said trolley-head whereby pressure on saidhead will actuate said plate to release said band. Y

, 4. In atrolley-pole, the combination of a base, aspring-pressed .pole mounted thereon, a friction-drum carried by said. base, a triotion band encircling said drum provided with projected cars, a plate pivoted to said ears respectively, an jected into and enga ing said. pole, whereby upward movement oI said arm by said pole will close said band, a movable trolley-head, and means actuated by said trolley-head whereby pressure on said trolley-head will actuate said plate to release said. band.

5. In a tr0lley-pole, the combination of a base, a spring-pressed pole mounted thereon, an automatic friction lock or clutch mechanism wherebysaid pole is normallylocked inrolation to said. base, a rod n'iou'nted" on said pole, a spring whereby said rod is normally projected beyond said pole, a pivoted trolleyhead engaging said rod, and means whereby pressure on said trolley-head will tluough. the depression of said rod, release said lock or clutch mechanism.

6. In a trolley-pole, the combination of a base, a springressed pole mounted thereon, an automatic 'rietion lock "or clutch mechanism whereby saidpole is normally locked in relation to said base, a rod mounted on said. pole, a spring whereby said red is normally projected beyond said pole, a bell-crank le ver, the opposite arms of which are respectively adapted to receive a trolley-wheel and to engage said rod, and means whereby pres sure on said'tr'olley-head will through the depression ofsaid rod release said lock or clutch mechanismi i i 7. In-a trolley-pole, the combination of a basefa spring-presscd pole mounted thereon, a friction-drum carried by'said base, a 'l'riction-band encircling said drum provided with projected cars, a plate pivoted to said ears respectively, an arm on said plate projected. into and enga 'ing said pole whereby upward movement 0" said arm by said. pole will close said band, and project said. plate from said pole, a rod mounted .on said pole, a spring whereby said .rod is norm ally projected beyond. said-pole, a lever mounted on said pole, the opposite arms thereof respectively engaging said plate, and being beveled to be actuated by said rod, and a 'pivotedtrolleyhead en aging said rod whereby pressure on said trol ey-head will through the depression of said rod actuate said lever to release said band.

arm on said plate pre- 8. In atrolley-pole, the combination of a base, a spring-pressed pole mounted thereon, a friction-drum carried by said base, a friction-band encircling said drum provided with projected cars, a plate pivoted to said ears respectively, an arm on said plate projected into and enga ing said pole whereby upward movement 0 said arm by said pole will close said band, and project said plate from said pole, a rod mounted on said pole, a spring whereby said rod is normally rejected be 0nd said pole, a lever mounted on said p0 e, the opposite arms thereof res actively engagin said plate and being beve ledto be actuated by said rod, and a bellcrank lever mounted on said pole, the opposite arms of which are respectively adapted to receive a trolley-wheel and to engage said rod and have a rope secured thereto, whereby pressure on said trolley-head will through the depression of said rod actuate said lever to reease said band.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, this 24th day of May, 1905, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. LAGERGREN.

VVitnes ses:

JonN T. Boo'rn, LEWIS V. Horse. 

